Tenth Annual Lonnie Leu Memorial Race

August 21, 2011

By Gene Harmelink

In honor of a fallen racer, Eagle Valley Speedway in Jim Falls, WI, hosted the tenth annual Lonnie Leu Memorial Race on Sunday, August 21. The race night also marked the last track points’ night of the season.

Winners included Kevin Adams in his WISSOTA/Amsoil Modified. This win marked the third straight time Adams scored a win in the Lonnie Leu Memorial Race and it also was Adams 25th win of the 2011 race season. Shane Kisling also captured a win in his WISSOTA/Amsoil Super Stock, making it back-to-back wins for Kisling, as he tallied his 21st win of the race season.

In the WISSOTA/Amsoil Midwest Modified Division, Matt Leer drove to his second consecutive Lonnie Leu win and his third win overall in the Leu Memorial competition.

In the WISSOTA/Amsoil Street Stock Division, Jay Kesan picked up a win, making it Kesan’s eighth win of the year.

In the Eagle Valley Divisions, George Richards won his twelfth win of the year, as he won his third straight Leu Memorial Race.

In the Hornet Division, Rocky Kempe collected the winning prize, while Joe Provinzino picked up a win in his Mod 600.

The Eagle Valley Hornets ran their feature prior to intermission, with Jay Welk and Scott Westaby on the front row. It was Rocky Kempe, though, who shoot to an early lead from his third-place starting spot.

Kempe fought off early challenges from Welk and track point’s leader, Eric Schultz, but as the race progressed Kempe was able to put distance between himself and all challengers to take the win. The yearly points’ winner was Schultz.

After the intermission, the WISSOTA Super Stocks were up first with Shane Kisling and Eric Olson leading the way. Olson got a great start and took the lead by the end of lap one, but track point’s leader, Kisling, showed his strength early as he sent Olson to second by the end of lap two.

Kisling survived two cautions during the first half of the race and after caution secured the lead, he pulled away from the pack.

With four laps remaining, Kisling had marched away from the rest of the competitors to lead by eight or more car lengths. In the end, it was Kisling with the win in his Corner Country Store-sponsored car. Olson, Brad Kisling, Terry Kroening and Wayne Dean rounded out the top five. This win also put the cap on Kisling’s track points’ lead.

Nick Koehler and Shane Halopka were on the front row for the start of the WISSOTA Midwest Modified feature, with Halopka being the early leader. Halopka led the first two laps of the feature, but track points’ leader, Matt Leer, was on the move from third.

As the cars passed under the flag stand for the end of lap three, Leer had successfully made the pass for the lead, sending Halopka to second as Clark Swartz moved into the third spot and Koehler ran fourth and Alex Van Natta ran fifth.

With half of the feature in the books, Leer continued to lead, Halopka continued to run second followed by Josh Smith, Cory Crapser and Clark Swartz.

With two laps remaining, Leer was still in the lead and putting some distance on the field as Smith and Halopka battled for second, with Crapser and Swartz fighting it out for third.

In the end it was Leer with the win in his Jiffy Biffy-sponsored car. Halopka, Smith, Crapser and Swartz made up the rest of the top five. This insured Leer’s lead in track points.

The WISSOTA Modified feature was next with Jay Richardson and Kevin Adams sharing the front row. Adams immediately grabbed the lead and proceeded to also put distance between his car and the rest of the field with Mike Anderson, Dave Cain, and Jay Richardson engaged in a fight for second.

This feature ran without caution, as Adams motored away from everyone. Meanwhile Cain ran a distance second, as Nayes and Anderson dueled for third.

With five laps to go, Adams began lapping the field, Cain continued in second, Nayes ran third, Anderson ran fourth and Dave Baxter ran fifth.

In the end it was Adams with the win in this fast and furious race in his CRC Component-sponsored car. Cain, Anderson, Nayes, and Baxter rounded out the top five. This win also sealed the track points for Adams.

Jay Kesan and Carolyn Nosser led the WISSOTA Street Stocks to the green flag for the start of their feature, with Kesan rocketing to the lead and Mike Knudtson moved into second.

With five laps in and following a caution for a spinning Knudtson, Kesan continued to lead with Doug Wojcik running second. Nick Wojcik followed in third as Cody Kummer and Shaun Mann rounded out the top five.

At the midway point, Kesan still led, Nick Wojcik moved into second, his brother, Doug, ran third and Kummer and Mann held onto their spots.

With the laps winding down, Kesan continued to lead and the others in the top five remained as they were. In the end, it was Kesan taking his eighth win of the year in his Bruce Auto Repair-sponsored car. This win was frosting on the cake for the points’ lead for Kesan. Rounding out the top five were Nick Wojcik, Doug Wojcik, Shaun Mann and Travis Hazelton, who had passed Kummer late in the race.

The Eagle Valley Speedway Pure Stocks were up next with Mike Schuebel and George Richards on the front row. Richards made it look easy as he motored away early for the lead. Behind Richards, Todd Roshell, Schuebel, and Brandon Lofgren battled for second.

By the middle of the feature, Richards had established a substantial lead as Roshell, Lofgren and Jason Havel fought it out for second.

With two laps to go and Richards in a lock for the win--barring mechanical failure, Roshell and Havel duked it out for second, as Lofgren and Schuebel did the same for third.

In the end, it was Richards with his twelfth win of the year to secure the points’ lead in his NAPA Auto Parts-sponsored car.

The Mod 600s were up last with Curt Luhmann and Greg Wohletz leading the way. It was Joe Provinsino, though, coming from fourth to take the lead as he made an excellent quick move to the outside early in the first lap.

As Provinsino cruised away, Luhmann and Wohletz were left to run for second, as Bill Baures and John Griffin were left to fight it out for third.

In the end, it was Provinsino taking the win in his Joe Provo Racewear-sponsored car. Luhmann, Wohletz, Baures and Griffin rounded out the top five.

Next week Sunday, August 28, marks the end of the regular race season when Eagle Valley hosts the season championship races presented by Lenenkugel’s.

The track events conclude on Saturday, September 10, when Eagle Valley Speedway presents an Enduro race. The previously announced IRA Sprint race is cancelled.

Summary

Eagle Valley Speedway

Jim Falls, WI

August 21, 2011

WISSOTA Modifieds

Feature: Kevin Adams, Dave Cain, Mike Anderson, Bryan Nayes, Dave Baxter, Jesse Glenz, Jay Richardson, Eric Pember, Jared Loos, Luke Schilling, Kent Baxter, Shawn Kelley, Paul Niznik, Steve Hallquist, Bob Wood

Heat 1: Cain, Glenz, Nayes, Anderson, Loos, Kelley, Hallquist, Wood

Heat 2: Adams, D Baxter, K Baxter, Richardson, Pember, Schilling, Niznik

WISSOTA Super Stocks

Feature: Shane Kisling, Eric Olson, Brad Kisling, Terry Kroening, Wayne Dean, Kevin Hager, Darrel Hazelton, Tony Falkner, Matt McEathron, Jason Quarders, Cut Hazelton, Scott Geiger, Rich Hallquist, Tommy Richards, Jesse Redetzke, Lucas Plank, Lance Schilling (DQ)

Heat 1: Olson, Hallquist, Redetzke, Geiger, Hager, C Hazelton

Heat 2: S Kisling, Richards, B Kisling, Dean, D Hazelton, Quarders

Heat 3: Schilling, Plank, McEathron, Falkner, Kroening

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

Feature: Matt Leer, Shane Halopka, Josh Smith, Cory Crapser, Clark Swartz, Nick Koehler, Alex Van Naata, Michael Truscott, Grant Southworth, Dylan Goetti, Jake Stai, Jake Smith, Nathan Thums, John Moravec, Mark Clements, Dalton Yohnk, Scott Schoettle, B Jay Huse, Steve Kallenbach

Heat 1: Halopka, Koehler, Jake Smith, Josh Smith, Southworth, Kallenbach, Thums,

Heat 2: Leer, Crapser, Van Natta, Clements, Yohnk, Schoettle

Heat 3: Swartz, Stai, Truscott, Goetti, Huse, Moravec

WISSOTA Street Stocks

Feature: Jay Kesan, Nick Wojcik, Doug Wojcik, Shaun Mann, Travis Hazelton, Cody Kummer, Mike Knudtson, Carolyn Nosser, Kurt Becken, Bill Engler, Jr., Lee Jonsgaard

Heat 1: Kummer, N Wojcik, Nosser, Mann, Engler, Jr., Jonsgaard

Heat 2: Kesan, D Wojcik, Hazelton, Knudtson, Becken

Eagle Valley Pure Stocks

Feature: George Richards, Todd Roshell, Jason Havel, Brandon Lofgren, Mike Schuebel, Dustin Doughty, Dalton Hazelton, Kolby Keih, Cooper Berlin, Duke Leu, Lucas Kallenbach, Danny Westlie, Bryan Ciolkosz, Jake Stowell

Heat 1: Richards, Lofgren, Keih, Schuebel, Havel, Ciolkosz, Westlie

Heat 2: Roshell, Hazelton, Leu, Berlin, Kallenbach, Doughty, Stowell

Eagle Valley Hornets (feature only)

Feature: Rocky Kempe, Brent Voeltz, Eric Schultz, Mark Ryskoski, Jay Welk, Scott Westaby, Lin Leu

Mod 600

Feature: Joe Provinsino, Curt Luhmann, Greg Wohletz, Bill Baures, John Griffin

Heat: Provinsino, Baures, Wohletz, Griffin, Luhmann